Fighting to Stay - One Mom’s Battle Out of Postpartum Darkness: Adriana’s Story

Send us Fan Mail In this deeply moving episode of Quiet Connection, Chelsea sits down with **Adriana Sanchez**, a stay-at-home mom and college student who shares her raw journey through two high-risk pregnancies, consecutive NICU stays, and severe postpartum mental health crises. Adriana opens up about how her "go with the flow" life shifted dramatically when her first baby arrived prematurely at 32 weeks. When her second pregnancy was complicated by severe preeclampsia at 28 weeks, she found herself in a terrifying spiral of panic attacks, suicidal ideation, and intrusive hallucinations.  This conversation shines a necessary light on the biological realities of PMHDS and serves as a vital reminder that fighting for your life sometimes looks like asking for professional help. Connect with Adriana on Facebook or Instagram.   **Key Takeaways** - **The Myth of the Immunity Village:** Even with a strong, loving support system, perinatal individuals aren't immune to severe physical and mental health crises. - **Trauma Compounds:** A previous traumatic birth or difficult trying-to-conceive journey can severely heighten anxiety and PTSD in subsequent pregnancies. - **Postpartum Preeclampsia is Physical and Mental:** Sudden spikes in blood pressure and aggressive medical treatments like magnesium drips cause severe physical dazes that deeply impact mental well-being. - **Validation is the Turning Point:** True healing often begins when a professional validates that your experience is biological and normal, stripping away the internal guilt and self-blame. **Impactful Soundbites** **(29:44) Chelsea Myers: "Just because it's in your head doesn't mean it's not in your body either. It is insane what your mental health can do to your body."** **(42:17) Adriana Sanchez: "Get it out, take it off my hands and you fix me. For my husband, it was like me giving up, but no, it was me fighting for an answer, fighting for a treatment, fighting for validation."** **(46:22) Adriana Sanchez: "What could be wrong today is not what's gonna be wrong tomorrow. I just try to keep telling myself that I'm okay, and then just hug my kids."** This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels. Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs! Support the show  *Special Thanks to* Steve Audy *for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection* Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health? Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch